Sunday, 6 October 2013

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOMATOES

 
Tomatoes are often classified as a vegetable, but in actuality, they are citrus fruits. Tomatoes can be found almost everywhere, they are delicious and can be eaten raw.

                    Here are some of the health benefits of tomatoes

  1. Reduces the risk of heart disease: Tomatoes are rich in nutrients such as Niacin, Folate and Vitamin B6, that are associated with the reduction of heart diseases. Studies has shown that women who ate seven to ten servings of tomato products per week had a 29 per cent low risk of cardiovascular diseases than women who consume less than a serving and a half of tomato products each week.
  2. Reduces the risk of cancer: Studies have also shown that the more tomatoes you eat, the lower the risk of certain cancer, such as stomach, lung, and prostate cancer. Lycophen which is responsible for the red colour of tomatoes have been found to be the reason for this cancer protective effect. Processed tomatoes contains more lycophen than the raw ones.
  3. Reduces inflammation: A glass of tomato juice a day can reduce blood levels of  TNF-Alpha by 34 per cent, TNF- Alpha causes inflammation. High levels have been found in individuals with chronic and degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer.
  4. Prevents DNA damage: Tomatoes have more anti- oxidants such as Vitamins A & C, which helps to fend off DNA damage from free radicals.
  5. Protects against thrombosis: Another study showed that drinking eight ounces of tomato juice daily reduces platelet aggregation significantly. Those drinking placebos showed no benefit. It is important to drink low sodium tomato juice when trying to protect against thrombosis (blood clots in the blood vessel), as high sodium levels can cause negative effects for this type of disease.
Source: www.sunnewsonline.com


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